394 THE HIVE BEE » 



under the necessity of collecting and amassing in 

 cells destined for that purpose large quantities of 

 honey. This they extract by means of their trunk, 

 from the nectariferous glands of flowers. The trunk 

 of the bee is a kind of rough cartalaginous tongue. 

 After collecting a few small drops of honey with 

 this,; the animal carries them to its mouth, and swal- 

 lows them. From the gullet they pass into the first 

 stomach, which is more or less swelled in proportion 

 to the quantity of honey it contains. When empty, 

 it has the appearance of a fine white thread : but, 

 when filled with honey, it assumes the figure of an 

 oblong bladder, the membrane of which is so thin 

 and transparent that it allows the colour of the li- 

 quid it contains to be distinctly seen. This blad- 

 der is well known to children who live in the coun- 

 try : they cruelly amuse themselves with catching 

 bees, and tearing them asunder in order to suck the 

 honey. The bees are obliged to fly from one flower 

 to another till they fill their first stomachs. When 

 they have accomplished this, they return directly 

 to the hive, and disgorge in a cell the whole honey 

 they have collected. It not unfrequently happens, 

 however, that on its way to the hive the bee is ac- 

 costed by a hungry companion. How the one ma- 

 nages to communicate its wants to the other it is per- 

 haps impossible to discover. But the fact is certain 

 that, when two bees meet in this situation, they mu- 

 tually stop, and the one whose stomach is full of 

 honey extends its trunk, opens its mouth, and, like 

 a ruminating animal, forces up the honey into that 

 cavity. The hungry bee, with the point of its trunk. 



